Retarding means for railway car doors



May 9, 1944. SMALL 2,348,369

RETARDING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORS Filed July 1'7, 1942' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9,1944; A E, ALL 2,348,369

RETARDING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORS Filed July 17 1942 4 Sheets$heet 2 'l' v l HZ/m EJ'mall All'fiorrzey y 1944- A. E. SMALL 2,348,369

RETARDING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORS Filed July 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 9, 1944. A. E. SMALL RETARDING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORS Filed July 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 In 0622 to 141' 1201157 Jmall Patented May 9, 1944 RETARDING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORS Arthur E. Small, Porter, 1116., assignor, by mcsne assignments, to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Delaware Application July 1'7, 1942, Serial No. 451,249 H 11 Claims.

The invention relates to doors for railway cars and more particularly to means for preventing violent and unrestricted movement of a sliding door during service movements of the car. The usual type of sliding side door is well known in the railway car art wherein a door is movable in a horizontal direction On a track substantially parallel with the wall of the car and moves into and out of alignment with the doorway in the side wall. I I

Various means for supporting and moving such a sliding door are used.- One of the best known is that disclosed in Gilpin Patent No. 1,902,772 of March 21, 1933,. wherein rollers are revolubly mounted upon the door and a track engaged by such rollers is rigidly carried by the car. The track is provided with depressions located at the proper places so that when the door is in the full open or full closed position, the rollers are above the depressions. The rollers are thus relieved of the weight of the door and, in their place, the door is supported by engagement of non-rotative parts carried respectively by the door and car. The friction between such non-rotative parts tends to prevent movement of the door.

In recent years a combination of circumstances, such as increased train and switching speeds and heavier loading of cars, has tended to impart more violent impacts to cars during service with the result that the above mentioned frictional resistance as well as other retarding means sometimes used have become inadequate to prevent accidental door movement. Such movements are liable to cause damage to the car and to the door, as well as injury to an operator who happens to get inthe way of such a moving door.

An object of my invention is to provide a retarding means for a railway car door which is operative in thefu'll open and full closed position and in any intermediate position for preventing unrestricted and violent accidental door movements during the operation of the railway car.

Another object is to design such retarding .means so that it may be easily operated by a simple operation.

A further object is to provide a simple, rugged and inexpensive retarding means which may be easily adapted to any of the conventional designs of railway car side doors now in service.

Doors of the type disclosed are commonly provided with levers pivotally mounted upon the door and engageable with a bracket carried preferably by the track to move the rollers out of the depressions in the track. An object of the invention isto associate a retarding means, with the lever in such a way that said means is automaticallyreleased upon movement of the lever for moving the door.

' Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a railway car showing the side door which embodies my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewof a portion of Fig. 1 showing the starting lever in operative position and the door in position wherein the rollers are moved partially out of the depressions.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. Zbut showing the door inposition whereinthe rollers are entirely out of the depressions and operatively engaged with the track.

Fig. 4 is a side eelvation of the structure shown in:Fig. 2 showing its position when the rollers are in the track depressions.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2 when the rollers are in thedepressions. I

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of my invention showing its position when the rollers are in the depressions.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the position of the retarding means when the rollers are out of the depressions.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the retarding means in locking position.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the retarding means in released position.

' Figaro is a section on line Ill-46 of Fig. 6.

. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig.111.

Fig. 13 is a section through the structure shown in Fig. 11 but showing the retarding means in released position.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 11 also showing the retarding means in released position.

In Fig. 1, the side Wall 2 has a door opening and a side door Sis shown in a position wherein it completely or fully closes the doorway. The track 5 for supporting the door 3 is a longitudinally extending, inwardly facing channel member preferably secured to the side sill reinforcement 6 of the car. A roller housing 8 is rigidly mounted upon each of the lower corners of the door 3 and rollers 9 are revolubly mounted within the housings 8 and arranged to roll upon the upper laterally extending flange II of the channel track 5. The track 5 is preferably provided with spaced apart depressions I2 arranged so that when the door is in the full closed position or full open position, the rollers 9 are above the depressions I2. The rollers 9 are thus relieved of the weight of the door, which weight is transferred to parts of the roller housings 8'or other non-rotative parts of the door which engage the track 5. the track retards movement of the door. starting lever I4 is pivoted to the door 3 and has its lower end I! arranged to engage a starting bracket I8 secured to the track 5 for the purpose of utilizing the leverage to move the rollers 9 out of the depressions I2. V

The retarding means is disclosed in its simplest form in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive. base member 25 rigidly secured to the door 3 and preferably provided with a rigid handle 24. The base member 25 embodies a downwardly diverging slot 26 arranged to confine the shank 21' of a dog 28 so that the dog 28 is thus mounted upon the door 3 to move in a vertical plane both vertically and rotatively relative to the door. The dog 28 includes spaced apart lugs 34, 35, the upper lug34 being disposed above and the lower lug 35 below the upper laterally extending flange II of the channel track 5. A handle 31 is provided on the upper end of the dog 28 to provide a means for the lifting thereof.

When the door 3 is inthe full closed or full open position, the rollers!) are in the depressions I2 and the dog 28 is resting freely in the position shown in detail in Fig. 6. When it is desired to move the door 3 along the track, the dog 28 is moved upwardly, preferably by lifting on the handle 31, and assumes the position shown in Fig. 9. In this position, both'the upper (34) andlower (35) lugs are entirely free of the track 5 and the door 3 may then be freely moved horizontally any desired distance provided the 'dog is held at all times substantially in the position shown in Fig. 9.

If an attempt is made to move the door toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 6 without lifting the dog 28, the upper lug 34 drags on the upper flange I I of the track 5 and causes the dog 28 to rotate to the position shown in Fig. 8. In such position, the right hand edge 40 of the lower lug 35 engages the underside of the flange II and the left hand edge 4| of the upper mg 34 engages the upper side of the laterally extending flange II of the track 5. The dog 28 thus firmly grips the track 5 and furthermovement of the door toward the left is not possible. The lower side 43 of the upper lug 34 'is'preferably convex so that the dog 28 rotates more easily as the lug 34 is dragged over the track 5. The edges 40, 4| of the lower (35 and upper (34) lugs which engage the track 5 upon rotation of the dog arepreferably relatively keen in order to bite into the track and provide a more positive locking effect.

Figure 7 shows the dog 28 at rest when the door 3 is in some intermediate position between full open and full closed- Figure? differs from Figure 6 only in that the bottom edge 46 of the door 3 is spaced a greater distance above the track5 due to the fact that the rollers 9 have been moved out of the depressions I2 and now support the door upon the undepressed part ofthetrack 5. g Figures 1 to 5 inclusive show a retarding means similar tothat heretoforedescribed but incor- The friction between such parts and It includes a a porated with the starting lever I4 in such a way as to be released upon operative movement of the lever. The base member 59 includes an outwardly projecting pintle 5I upon which is plvotally mounted the starting lever I4 and a downwardly diverging slot 53 similar to that heretofore described. The shank 54 of the dog 56 is confined within the slot 53 and the dog 58 includes spaced apart lugs 34, 35 adapted to grip 10 the upper flange II of the track 5 upon movement of the door as described with reference to Figures 6 to 10. A roller 51 is revolubly mounted upon the upper end of the dog 56 and a cam 59 is rigidly attached to the lever I4, the cam 59 being arranged so that the lugs 34, 35 are held clear of the track flange II when the lever I4 is in a nearly vertical position. Thus when the lower end I! of the lever I4 is engaged with the bracket I8 for the purpose of moving the door, the dog 56 is moved by the cam 59 so that the lugs 34, 35 are clear of thetrack flange II and the retarding means is released. The retarding means is maintained in its released position by' holding the lever I4 in a substantially horizontal position during movement of the door.

In the modification shown in Figures 11 to 14 inclusive, the starting lever I4 is pivotally mounted upon the pintle 65 which forms a part of the base member 88. The base member 68 includes a vertically extending slot 68 of substantially uniform area from the top to the bottom thereof and a pin 69 is confined to slide in the slot 68 in a substantially vertical direction. The track 5 is supported by means of brackets I'I spaced apart lengthwise of the car and extending between and secured to the track 5 and the side sill reinforcement 5. When the pin 69 is its lowermost position, the brackets II are disposed in the path of movement of the lower end 14 of the pin 69 so that the door may move only a limited distance until it is arrested by engagement of the'pin 89 with one of the brackets II. A roller 14 is revolublymounted upon the upper end of the pin 69 and a cam 15 is rigidly attached to the lever I4 in position to engage the roller I4 when the lever I4 is moved to a substantially vertical position. The lever I4 is disposed in such position when the lower end I1. of the lever is engaged with the bracket I8 for the purpose of' moving the door and the pin 69 is consequently raised to a position in which its lower end I4 is clear of the brackets I I, thereby permitting movement of the door. The door may thus be moved while the lever I4 is held in a substantially verti-T cal position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the pie ferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claimi 1. A door stop fora railway car having a track carried by the car and supported by spaced apartbrackets associated with the track,'a door mov ably mounted upon said track, alever pivotally mounted upon said door and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried by the car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a pin slidably mounted upon said door for vertical movement into and out of horizontal alignment with said brackets,- and means carried by said lever arranged,- to en-- gage said pin when the lever is in said certain;

positions to move said pin out of alignment with sfaid'brackets.

'2. A door stop for a railway carhaving a track carried by i the car and supported by spaced apart brackets associated with the track, a door movably mounted upon said track, a fulcrum carried by the door, a lever pivotally mounted upon said fulcrum and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried by the car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a pin slidably mounted upon said fulcrum for vertical movement into and out of horizontal alignment with said brackets, and a cam carried by said lever arranged to engage said pin when the lever is in said certain positions to move said pin out of alignment with said brackets.

3. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car and supported by spaced apart brackets associated with the track, a door movably mounted upon said track, a lever pivotally mounted upon said door and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried by the car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a pin slidably mounted upon said door for vertical movement into and out of horizontal alignment with said brackets, a roller revolubly mounted upon said pin, and a cam carried by said lever arranged to engage said roller when the lever is in said certain positions to move said pin out of alignment with said brackets.

4. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car, a door movably mounted upon said track, a lever pivotally mounted upon said door and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried by the car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a dog having portions disposed respectively above and below said track and spaced apart the proper distance to grip the track upon relatively slight rotation of the dog, means to pivotally and slidably mount said dog upon said door, the upper of said portions normally resting upon said track to support said dog and so that limited movement of said door rotates said dog to gripping position, and means carried by said lever arranged to engage said dog when the lever is in said certain positions to move said portions outv of engagement with said track.

5. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car, a door movably mounted upon said track, a lever pivotally mounted upon said door and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried by the car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a dog having portions disposed respectively above and below said track and spaced apart the proper distance to grip the track upon relatively slight rotation of the dog, means to pivotally and slidably mount said dog upon said door comprising a downwardly diverging passageway confining a portion of said dog, the upper of said portions normally resting upon said track to support said dog and so that limited movement of said door rotates said dog to gripping position, and means carried by said lever arranged to engage said dog when the lever is in said certain positions to move said portions out of engagement with said track.

6. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car, a door movably mounted upon said track, a fulcrum carried by the door, a lever pivotally mounted upon said fulcrum and arranged when in certain positions to engage a projection carried bythe car to impart movement to the door, said door stop comprising a dog having portions disposed respectively above and below said track and spaced apart the proper distance to grip the track upon relatively slight rotation of the dog, means to pivotally and slidably mount said dog upon said fulcrum, a roller revolubly mounted upon said dog, the upper of said portions normally resting upon said track to support said dog and so that limited movement of said door rotates said dog to gripping position, and a cam carried by said lever arranged to engage said roller when the lever is in said certain positions to move said portions out of engagement with said track.

7. A door stop for a railway car door mounted to move along a substantially horizontal track carried by the car, said door stop comprising a dog rotatively mounted upon the door and including portions disposed respectively above and below said track and spaced apart the proper distance to grip said track upon slight rotation of the dog to restrain movement of said door, door moving means comprising an element on the door operatively associated with an element on the car, and means operable by said door moving means to move said portions out of gripping engagement with said track.

8. A door stop for a railway car door mounted to move along a substantially horizontal track carried by the car, said door stop comprising a dog rotatively mounted upon the door and including portions disposed respectively above and below said track and spaced apart the proper distance to grip said track upon slight rotation of the dog to restrain movement of said door, the upper of said portions normally resting upon said track so that limited movement of said door causes rotation of said dog, door moving means comprising an element on the door operatively associated with an element on the car, and means operable by said door moving means to move said portions out of gripping engagement with said track.

9. A door stop for a railway car door mounted to move along a substantially horizontal track carried by the car, s'aid door stop comprising a dog vertically slidably and rotatively mounted upon the door and including portions disposed respectively above and below said traclo and spaced apart the proper distance to grip said track upon slight rotation of said dog to restrain movement of said door, door moving means comprising an element on the door operatively associated with an element on the car, and means operable by said door moving means to raise said dog so that said portions are out of gripping engagement with said track.

10. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car, a door mounted upon said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a lever pivotally mounted upon said door and arranged to engage a projection carried by the car to impart said movement to said door; said door stop comprising means vertically slidably carried by said door and adapted to engage said track to restrain said movement of said door lengthwise of said track and moveable to released position upon upward movement thereof, and means carried by said lever arranged to raise said first mentioned means to released position when the lever imparts said movement to the door.

11. A door stop for a railway car having a track carried by the car, a door mounted upon tion upon upward movement thereof, a rollerrevolubly mounted upon said means, and a. cam carried by said lever arranged to engage said roller and raise said means to released position when the lever imparts said movement to the door.

ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

